What Jesus Wants for Christmas
by Billy Graham
This
Christmas season you can be assured that Jesus Christ is here. He is here to
give us hope, to forgive our sins, to give us a new song, to impart faith and
to heal our spiritual wounds—if only we will let Him.
The
Christmas message has not changed in more than 2,000 years. Christmas still
reminds us that God is with us.
In
spite of all the pessimism and cynicism, in spite of all the headlines about
murders, assassinations, riots, demonstrations and war, Jesus Christ is alive.
He is alive to conquer despair, to impart hope, to forgive sins and to take
away our loneliness. He is alive to reconcile us to God.
This
Christmas, accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Give Him the gift that
He wants—your heart, your soul, your life.
(Adapted from Billy Graham's article, "Christmas—a Time of Renewed Hope")
A Thermometer or a Thermostat?
By Greg
Laurie
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent
by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. —Luke 1:26
It's
interesting how cities are known for certain things. Rome is known as the
Eternal City. Paris is called the City of Lights. New York is the City that
Never Sleeps. And Las Vegas has been nicknamed Sin City.
Nazareth, too, could have been called Sin City in the first century.
Overrun by Roman soldiers, it was one of those places you went through on the
way to another place. Nazareth also was known for its sin. One commentator
described it as a hotbed of corruption. This is why, when Nathanael heard that
Jesus was from Nazareth, he asked, "Can anything good come out of
Nazareth?" (John 1:46).
Imagine if Jesus were born today. We might expect Him to be born in
Jerusalem, or maybe in Rome, London, or Paris. But what if He were born in Las
Vegas? The Savior has
arrived: Jesus of Las Vegas. That's what it would have
been like to use the term Jesus
of Nazareth.
In that
wicked city, however, lived a young woman of royal blood. Living in an impure
world, Mary was pure. She showed it is possible to live a holy life in an
unholy place. We often blame our wicked culture for the way we are, but the
fact is that it's our job as followers of Jesus to permeate and affect our
culture.
Here's a
question to ask yourself: Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? A thermometer
is affected by its surroundings. Depending on the temperature, it goes up or
down. In contrast, a thermostat affects its surroundings. Unlike the
thermometer, it controls the environment around it.
Do you
merely react to what is happening around you, or do you have some kind of
impact on it? Are you changing the culture, or is the culture changing you?
Just in Time
By Greg Laurie
"But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation
produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character,
hope." —Romans 5:3–4
Perhaps the hardships of today are preparing you for great
opportunities tomorrow.
Warren
Wiersbe quotes a professor of history who said, "If Columbus had turned
back, nobody would have blamed him, but nobody would have remembered him
either." Wiersbe concludes, "If you want to be memorable, sometimes
you have to be miserable."
We all
know the story of Job. I don't know of many people who suffered more than him,
with the loss of his possessions, health and, worst of all, his children. Yet
his faith remained intact and even grew stronger.
You
might say, "I could never handle the things Job faced! In fact, I can't
handle suffering at all." Don't worry; God will give you what you need
when you need it.
Not
before. Never after. When you need it.
Corrie
Ten Boom used to tell a story:
"When I was a little girl, I went to my father and said,
'Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a martyr for Jesus
Christ.'"
"Tell me," said Father, "When we take a train trip
to Amsterdam, when do I give you the money for the ticket? Three weeks
before?"
"No, Daddy, you give me the money for the ticket just before
we get on the train."
"That is right," my father said, "and so it is with
God's strength. Our Father in heaven knows when you will need the strength to
be a martyr for Jesus Christ. He will supply all you need—just in time. .
."
We may
not be called to be martyrs, but we will all suffer in life. God will give us
what we need when we need it. Not before. Never after.
Just in
time.
LIBERTY FROM ANXIETY
LIBERTY
FROM ANXIETY
The
kingdom of darkness was in total shambles on Sunday November 22, 2015 as God’s
power descended mightily in the service at The SCOAN. In a message titled, LIBERTY FROM ANXIETY, Evangelist Bolaji captured the sad reality staring the Christian
race in the face. Many have allowed the worries and cares of this transient
world to weaken their faith in God and His promise of eternal glory. She
defined anxiety as an enemy of progress in a Christian’s life as it tends to
pitch him or her against their belief in God.
“Our personal cares for the present, future,
family and others are capable of changing our focus from running the straight
race with God, especially when they arise from unbelief and distrust.
Therefore, don’t be agitated and thrown into confusion. Worries about tomorrow
do not advance our cause at all; they are absolutely useless. Remember that
anxiety distracts one’s mind and hinders our interest in the service of God”.
The faith-destroying
tendencies of anxiety notwithstanding, Evangelist Bolaji provided a
Spirit-inspired recipe for all Christians to remain focused on God and His
everlasting promises.
“Free yourself in
the Word of God. When your spirit is free, it becomes sensitive to the Spirit
of God. Do you want a free spirit? Keep your heart from cares. He who bore the
burdens of our sorrows, worries, fears, cares and anxieties desires us to leave
it entirely for Him because He alone knows what it takes to give us rest. Why
don’t we trust Him and let Him prove Himself? After all, He is the Governor of
our future – He owns the future”.
SCOAN Evangelists,
sent by Prophet T.B. Joshua, led the congregants in yet another round of Mass
Prayer that was massive in every sense of the word. Stubborn spirits, yokes,
curses and sundry afflictions were broken by the power in the name of Jesus.
Age-long demonic entanglements were disentangled as the atmosphere of prayer
grew in intensity. Those who had been poisoned spiritually received deliverance
as they vomited all evil deposits in their systems to the glory of God.
With
all the songs of reverence to the Almighty God emanating from the choir, the
testimonies that followed were indeed a reflection of one fact – GOD’S WORD WILL NEVER RETURN TO HIM VOID
WITHOUT ACCOMPLISHING THAT WHICH IT HAS BEEN SENT TO ACHIEVE IN THE LIVES OF
HIS CHILDREN.
Source
It`s 'Grace, Grace & more Grace' for Darlene Zschech as Chemo Starts - Updated: 2015
Lessons
From The Valley - Darlene Zschech - 9/20/15
This
brilliant message reminds us that there are valuable lessons to be learned in
the valleys of our lives, and that we never walk through them alone.
Christian
singer-songwriter Darlene Zschech who is 48 years and a wonderful wife, mum and
grandmother, says she has started to
lose her hair as she begins chemo treatments for breast cancer but she hasn't
lost her desire to worship.
Zschech, who
announced on her blog (http://www.darlenezschech.com) in December that she has
breast cancer, recently finished round two of five chemo treatments.
On her most
she shared what she is learning through her battle with cancer and where she
finds her strength.
"All I
can say is, 'grace, grace and more grace'," she wrote. "I am learning
to rest in every promise from Jesus. In fact, it's His Word that is giving me
the strength to inhale and exhale, moment by moment."
"To be
completely honest, this has been very confronting. It definitely makes me look
sicker than I feel. In saying that, I am finding great freedom through this.
Mark [her husband] keeps reminding me how much money we'll save over the next
while on hairdressers!" Zschech said.
The famed
worship leader also said writing has been a great comfort to her during this
season. She said she plans to share songs birthed from this trial.
"I have
songs and thoughts that I will share with when I am on the other side of this
mountain," she shared. "In fact, we are already planning a
Thanksgiving service at our church in November, where we will record songs
birthed during this season."
"We
simply want to fill the place with praise for all that God has done,"
Zschech wrote.
Benny Hinn - The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Part 1
Acts
2:38 declares, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." The wonderful Gift of the precious
Holy Spirit, as well as the nine gifts of the Spirit, are too often neglected
in today's fast-paced world. It is crucial for believers today to understand
and receive all that God has provided! Pastor Benny's anointed teaching on
these gifts is highlighted on this powerful broadcast.
Why Does the World Hate Jesus?
by Franklin Graham
Why is
there so much hatred for Christians? Why are followers of Christ who seek to
serve the poor, care for the sick, feed the hungry, and emulate the Savior so
denigrated and disparaged around the world?
Ultimately,
it is because men hate the Name of Jesus Christ. They love darkness rather than
light. They love their sin rather than the only One who can forgive their sin.
They refuse to let go of their pride and self-sufficiency and admit there is
only one way for sinful men to be reconciled to a holy God.
Jesus Himself said that “if the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated
you … A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they
will also persecute you” (John 15:18, 20).
Jesus
demands that we come to Him on His non-negotiable terms. He tells us that we
are vile sinners in need of a Savior. To receive the gift of salvation, we must
strip ourselves of any claim to merit before God, and come to Jesus in genuine
repentance and faith. Only then can the bad news of our sinful state be washed
away in the Good News of forgiveness and everlasting life.
The Victory Shout
By Greg
Laurie
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of
flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He
might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. —Hebrews 2:14
Some
people think it's a joke to play with Ouija boards or read their horoscopes.
They think it's only fun and games to play around with demonic forces and
ideas. But it's no joke. Occultism and astrology are doorways to darkness, and
people really push it when they start dabbling in the Devil's world.
Nonbelievers
have no defense against the Devil, who can pretty much do whatever he wants to
do in their lives. However, he can do nothing in the life of a Christian
without God's permission. The only thing he fears is the power of Jesus Christ.
A
classic example of this is the story of Job. Interestingly, the Lord allowed
Satan a certain leeway, which resulted in many horrible afflictions on God's
servant, including the loss of his health, the loss of his property, and, worst
of all, the loss of his children. There were limitations to what the Devil was
allowed to do, but Job was tested severely. He came through it all, and God
blessed him in the end.
You may
think you can't make it through a hardship of some kind, but if God is letting
you go through it, He has a reason. God knows how much you can take. He will
never give you more than you can handle.
The Devil was soundly defeated at the cross of Calvary. Prior to His
crucifixion, Jesus said, "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler
of this world will be cast out" (John 12:31). As believers, we share in the victory of Jesus Christ. He dealt a
decisive blow against the Devil and his minions at the cross. When Jesus cried
out, "It is finished!" it reverberated through the corridors of
Heaven and the hallways of hell. It was a victory shout.
THE FAVOR OF THE LORD!
The Lord
shall shower His favor upon you and exalt you! The Bible says that Jesus Christ
increased in favor with God and men (Luke 2:51). Likewise, you shall increase
in favor with God and men.
“In an acceptable
time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold,
now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians
6:2).
Acceptable
time is the time of God’s favor. His kindness, mercy and grace will be upon His
people. God’s hand will lift you before the people who are against you and they
shall come seeking your favor!
The Bible
speaks about Joseph, a young man who feared the Lord and shunned evil. He was
falsely accused by his master’s wife and was thrown in prison. But, he sought
the Lord diligently and was faithful to Him in all his ways. The Lord was
pleased with him and His favor rested upon him mightily. God exalted him to be
a ruler(Genesis 39:21, 41:40-46).
The favor
of the Lord will not only exalt you but will help you to receive favor from
your enemies. The Israelites were in bondage and were exploited by the
Egyptians cruelly. But God gave them favor in sight of their enemies. The Bible
says that the Israelites fled Egypt with a lot of gold and silver (Exodus
3:21).
Germany
was an economically ruined nation after the World War. At that time, the
Chancellor Adenauer came to power in Germany. He was a hard working man. He
used to work till 2.00 a.m and would be in the presence of God at 5.00 a.m. He
diligently sought the Lord before resuming his work. This aroused curiosity
among the people who asked him why he had to work so hard. He replied “I must
build up this country. The future of Germany is in my hands. I cannot do
anything without the grace of God. He leads me everyday in my life to do
greater things for His glory".
The
Chancellor came up with new plans and executed them. He paved the way for
economic revolution. That is why Germany is an affluent nation today. One man
sought the presence of the Lord and His favor, and the country was blessed.
Friend,
when you diligently seek the Lord, He will shower His favor upon you. You will
receive spiritual blessings and material blessings. Yes, God will exalt you in
due time and the whole world will be in awe of you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)